UPF letter about the month of Prayer and Fasting

Call for us in Uniting Prayer and Fasting to Fast and Pray in October for Marriages and Families

Uniting Prayer and Fasting have registered to partner with many other mainline denominations and groups across our nation for a month of prayer and fasting during October for marriages and families. This prayer venture was first initiated by the Australian Catholic Marriage and family council and now with the Catholic Church’s encouragement and permission other churches are joining in their own way. Warwick Marsh and the team from the National Day of Prayer and Fasting are facilitating the body of Christ coming together at this time. I have never seen the church come together in such a way before in Australia and I give thanks and praise to God as we cry out together for mercy for our country.

We invite you to join us in fasting and praying through the month of October for marriage and families. It is vital that the churches come together at this time in our nation to pray not only for the protection of the sanctity of marriage, but also for:

marriages and families

our own repentance regarding marriage and families;

families in distress;

those experiencing same gender attraction and their families;

the debate that occurs in our country will be fair and respectful including in parliament and the media and an outcome that preserves God’s plan for marriage.

Please remember to pray for our Uniting Church at this time because as you know their is much division in our church over this issue. Pray that we can have the balance of respecting and loving one another but not to be afraid of speaking out what we believe is God’s will in this matter as revealed in scripture. Pray for compassionate and truthful courage and conviction to sweep through our church and that a strong, united, compassionate, humble, truth telling remnant would rise up.

As we pray together I do believe that the Lord Jesus wants to bless and revive the marriages and families in our country with His mercy and grace, maybe even our own marriages and families. I believe we will see miracles of God’s healing and compassion flowing from the Cross of Christ as the sanctity of marriage is protected. There is great power as the body of Christ comes together humbly in prayer. The Lord Jesus wants to wash us all tenderly as his bride with water and the word (see Ephesians 5). This will flow then out into the nation.

I encourage you to respectfully stir up as many people you can in your congregations to also join in this amazing coming together of the body of Christ at this time for His glory. If you want a daily devotional sent to you for the month from the combined churches team please go to this link click here.

I apologise that there is not more notice as it is only just evolving and coming into being.

Please let me know if you are committed to this and will be fasting and praying through the month. It is very important that at least some Uniting Church members and groups are joining together with the wider body at this time. The Assembly of Confessing Congregations have also registered partnership with this month of prayer and fasting. Click here for the ACC page and more information.

Praise God for the election of Rev Garry Dronfield as the new President of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress for the next three years. Please pray for wisdom, strength and protection for him as he leads Congress at this important time. ...

Around 150 people gathered in Geelong, Victoria for the UAICC - Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress triennial National Conference from 13-18 January.
Congratulations to the incoming National Executive and officers including new National President Rev. Garry Dronfield.

Today is our day of prayer and fasting. Let's fast and pray inJesus' mighty name for repentance and revival in our time, beginning in our own lives, family, church (including the Uniting Church - local and national), workplace, marketplace, neighbourhood, town, city, region, country and the world.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Sometimes we listen to the news of the increase of nuclear power in the hands of seemingly unstable world leaders, or even think of the church and we get discouraged and disheartened.

In our epistle teaching from 1 Thessalonians today, Paul tells us to encourage one another with the following words. Our precious Lord Jesus Christ is going to return. It will not be in a quiet way. There will be a loud shout, a voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God. All those who have died who are in the Lord Jesus Christ will rise first. And then any who are still alive will be caught up with him in the clouds.

Now comes our promise. Then we will be with the Lord forever!

This is not a popular teaching in some circles even within thechurch, for not all will be raised, not all will be with him forever. It is only those who are “in Christ”, who have received by faith all that Christ has done upon the cross.

Let us not be disheartened by any momentary problems. Let us put it into perspective.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is coming back and when he returns we will be with him forever!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive us when we get overwhelmed with the chaos of the world and forget that Jesus Christ your son is returning again. Help us to not only remember this wonderful truth but to share it with others that they too may be encouraged. In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen

Today is our day of prayer and fasting. Let's fast and pray in Jesus' mighty name for repentance and revival beginning in our own life, family, church, marketplace, workplace, neighbourhood, village, town, city, region, country and the world.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen

Psalms 107:33-37 (NRSV) He turns rivers into a desert,springs of water into thirsty ground,34 a fruitful land into a salty waste,because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.35 He turns a desert into pools of water,a parched land into springs of water.36 And there he lets the hungry live,and they establish a town to live in;37 they sow fields, and plant vineyards,and get a fruitful yield. ...